Ye apologizes, says he's not 'an antisemite' in full-page newspaper ad
- - Ye apologizes, says he's not 'an antisemite' in full-page newspaper ad
Edward Segarra, USA TODAYJanuary 26, 2026 at 10:04 PM
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Two years after Ye apologized to the Jewish community for his past antisemitic remarks, the disgraced hip-hop mogul is opening up about his controversial behavior again.
The Grammy-winning rapper and fashion designer, who previously sparked major backlash for making a series of statements widely considered antisemitic, addressed his rhetoric in an advertisement taken out in The Wall Street Journal on Monday, Jan. 26.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, addressed the open letter ad "to those I've hurt" and detailed a rocky mental health history, including a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, that allegedly fueled his behavior.
"My words as a leader in my community have global impact and influence. In my mania, I lost complete sight of that," Ye, 48, wrote. "As I find my new baseline and new center through an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living, I have newfound, much-needed clarity."
Ye was reportedly diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016, a condition he opened up about on his 2018 self-titled album. The rapper later publicly disputed his diagnosis several times.
"I am not a Nazi or an antisemite," he wrote. "I love Jewish people."
USA TODAY has reached out to Ye's reps for comment.
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Ye says brain injury, bipolar disorder contributed to antisemitic remarks
In his Wall Street Journal ad, Ye said that a 2002 car accident "caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain," seemingly precipitating a series of mental health issues.
"At the time, the focus was on the visible damage — the fracture, the swelling, and the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed," Ye reflected.
The rapper said that "neurological exams were limited" at the time and that his condition wasn't "properly diagnosed until 2023."
Ye also got candid on how bipolar disorder played a role in his outlook, saying that the mental health condition "comes with its own defense system" of "denial," as well as "disconnected moments" that caused "poor judgment and reckless behavior."
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"When you're manic, you don't think you're sick. You think everyone else is overreacting," Ye wrote. "You feel like you're seeing the world more clearly than ever, when in reality you're losing your grip entirely."
"I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem," Ye continued. "I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to have someone who was, at times, unrecognizable."
Mental health experts previously told USA TODAY that while unmanaged mental health conditions can cause people to act in seemingly uncharacteristic ways, mental illness and bigotry are two distinct issues.
"If we assume that every person with mental health issues is racist, that does them a disservice and increases the stigma, which ultimately keeps people from getting help," clinical psychologist Andrea Bonior told USA TODAY.
"And if we assume that every person who spouts off bigoted beliefs has a mental illness, we are turning our backs on the cultural changes that we need to address in terms of implicit bias."
Contributing: Jenna Ryu, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ye Wall Street Journal ad addresses antisemitism
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
